Anhalt University of Applied Sciences is officially kicking off the “Diversity Audit East – Strengthening STEM Universities” program, organized by the Stifterverband Change and the Klaus Tschira Foundation, with a shadowing day at the Technical University of Ilmenau. Together with the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg and Harz University of Applied Sciences, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences is one of three selected institutions that will strategically further develop their activities in the areas of diversity, equal opportunity, inclusion, and belonging over the next 18 months.
The observation day was preceded by a successful application process, a joint kick-off event, and a kick-off workshop with the Stifterverband. The visit to TU Ilmenau now marks the start of the content work in the audit process. The host university is among the institutions that have already gained extensive experience in establishing and further developing diversity structures and are now sharing this experience with the participating universities.
The focus of the observation day was on gaining insights into the diversity strategy and the practical implementation of measures at TU Ilmenau. Staff members from various areas of the university reported on their experiences and discussed current challenges and success factors with the guests. In several thematic “World Cafés,” participants exchanged ideas on topics including equitable structures and processes, diversity in teaching, internationalization, student recruitment and a welcoming culture, a discrimination-free campus culture, and diversity-oriented health management.
“Participating in the Diversity Audit Ost offers Anhalt University of Applied Sciences the opportunity to consolidate existing activities, gain new insights, and anchor diversity even more firmly as a strategic cross-cutting theme in academic programs, teaching, research, and university culture,” says Prof. Dr. Uta Seewald-Heeg, Vice-President for International Affairs and Gender Equality. “Exchanging ideas with experienced universities such as the Technical University of Ilmenau is a key component of this process.”
Through the Diversity Audit Ost, the Stifterverband Change and the Klaus Tschira Foundation support universities in eastern Germany—with a focus on STEM degree programs—in further developing and sustainably embedding strategies for diversity, equal opportunity, inclusion, and belonging. Anhalt University of Applied Sciences is one of three universities accepted into the current program and will participate in a guided development process through the end of 2027. This process includes consulting and exchange sessions with an external audit team, the preparation of university-wide self-reports, and two forums at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences. Following the study visit to the Technical University of Ilmenau, a strategy workshop will take place in the fall of 2026, followed by the audit visit in the spring of 2027. Together with university members from the areas of student affairs, teaching, research, and Administration, the goal is to analyze existing structures, identify areas for development, and develop concrete measures to foster a diversity-sensitive university culture.
The audit process will conclude with certification. Until then, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences will develop further measures to embed diversity, equal opportunity, and inclusion in its structures and processes for the long term.
Background
The “Diversity Audit East – Strengthening STEM Universities” is aimed at universities with a focus on STEM disciplines in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. It supports participating institutions in developing and institutionally embedding strategies in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). In the current round, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg, and Harz University of Applied Sciences are participating. The Diversity Audit East is funded by the Klaus Tschira Foundation. The additional funding required for Anhalt University of Applied Sciences’ participation is provided through the “Professorinnenprogramm 2030” project.
